


Shut Your Mouth, Nod and Agree With Me

by thebobfather



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Post-Avengers (2012), SteveTony, Stony - Freeform, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:21:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28025412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebobfather/pseuds/thebobfather
Summary: Steve and Tony clearly hated each other— they bicker, they argue, they fight until one day it went on a full stop. What seems to be the reason?-----I don't know what I just wrote about these two stubborn bitches, but I hope you'll like my Stevetony/Stony angst.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	Shut Your Mouth, Nod and Agree With Me

Steve never told Tony how much he admires him, how much he appreciate everything he did for him and the rest of the Avengers, the civilians, everyone, really. Even if he's a prick, even if he's arrogant, even if he's just as stubborn as he is— there's so much to admire and give thanks to Tony Stark and Steve hated that reality.

They have different opinions and ideas, every single day they always seem to be at the brink of hurting one another physically— 'cause verbal hurt had been a routine, a fist fight is the only thing left undone... but deep down, Steve won't let that happen, he swore to himself that he wouldn't lay his hands on Tony Stark, he's Howard's son and he couldn't afford to level up the toxicity of their current friendship or partnership or... Steve isn't sure what they are.

Tony would test his limits and he'd just give him what he wants, they'd push each other, they'll belittle one another, they'll scream at each other... it's tiring. Steve's exhausted being his teammate, he knows he's giving a hard time for the rest of the Avengers but he won't back down, he's just as petty as what other people think of him and that proves it.

He's unsure if he's a foe or a friend of Tony, everyday he's thinking about it, he's trying to fix something faulty even if he couldn't even pinpoint what's broken, where in reality there isn't anything broken, it's just that they probably weren't really made to please one another... but Steve wanted to please Tony, just for once. The man gave him a home and a new life, thought him things— it's hard to find someone who'd do the same thing.

Polar opposites.

If there's one thing that keeps Steve from staying with the Avengers, it is because he knows how effective their teamwork is at the battlefield, Iron Man needs Captain America and vice versa, that's the only time they agree with terms— when fighting against aliens or whatever it may be. He's staying, because the people believes in them, because the team needs him, because he believes he's brought back to life for a greater reason and because of Phil... and not because he doesn't want his ego to get stepped on by Tony Stark.

Steve hated the fact that whenever Tony's around— he's just as hostile as he is, he wanted to approach him in the nicest way possible but it always seems to turn the other way 'round. He wanted to say sorry, give way to the other man 'cause he knows how huge the other's ego is, but still, he can't, it's an instinct of his— might as well as Tony's.

Everything he thought about Tony was wrong, all wrong, Tony isn't fighting for himself, he's doing it because he knows in his heart that it's the right thing to do, Steve admired that. He isn't selfish, Tony literally chucked a nuke on the outer space to save the city, risking his own life without hesitations, Steve saw that with his own eyes. He isn't narcissistic— Tony never ever manipulated any of them, he knows how to show his regards and appreciation, making sure everyone always get the credit they deserve. He's not really as arrogant as what he often think of him, never once Tony showed off his wonders at the lab, he's literally locking himself away from the world. Lastly, his ego... it's a mask, Steve had been thinking about it lately, he's as egoistic as can be but he knows his place; the rest of them literally stepped on him a lot of times but they never heard a word from him, he's not holding grudges either. 

Now Steve's just understanding why, why he couldn't resist the urge to stay with Tony Stark— he's perfectly flawed, he hated him so much that if anyone else would hurt him he won't hesitate to fight back. Tony's one of the most complicated person he's ever met but still... he's one of the most genuine and unique, his real beauty is locked away, hiding behind layers of his rotten and dirty image of a billionaire playboy.

\-----

Steve got back home at eight in the evening coming from a public event attended by the Avengers, still wearing his uniform when he saw Tony all alone in the kitchen, and if he's not hallucinating, the brunet's eating a whole cake all alone in silence, with a tub of ice cream on the side. Tony's the only one who didn't show up in the fund-raising event; his excuse? because he's having a fever, which isn't true. 

In reality, Tony Stark had this unusual habit of being a prick, he's eccentric, he's got a bad habit of not playing well with others when he's not in the mood— he's not always a good sport.

“Tony?” said Cap in his usual, Captain-y voice.

Tony looked at him for a moment silently, his eyes were scanning him from head to toe, Steve thought that Tony's probably thinking of an insult or a witty comment but he did not.

“Cake,” said Tony. Steve sat down just across him after grabbing himself a fork and a plate— unlike Tony who's eating directly from the box.

“Thanks,” he said.

“Where are they?” he asked.

“After-party,” said Steve, “Bruce is alright, he actually proposed to stay at the party, he's having fun. Thor, Nat and Clint too.”

“That's nice,” said Tony as he shoved another bite of cake into his mouth, he's focused on the disheveled cake, not even bothering to look at Steve.

“Where is this from?” asked Steve noticing a huge number ten made with icing smudged across the cake.

“Clint,” said Tony.

“Why?” Steve knew it's a stupid thing to ask, but why would Clint leave a cake? “Tony, don't tell me you— did you just eat what's not for you?”

Tony slid a greeting card across the table which Steve took right away and it read: 

𝘛𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴.

𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥. 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱.

\- 𝘏𝘢𝘸𝘬𝘦𝘺𝘦

“Why?” asked Tony, “it's been ten months that we never ever butted heads. What's wrong?”

“What do you mean? are you complaining?” asked Steve while taking off his gloves.

Then there's a pause, because Tony's still trying to stuff himself with cake and ice cream, it's a relief for Steve seeing him eat a lot, because he never saw him like this.

“No, it's dreadful, I really didn't mean to say those things, I really didn't mean to hurt you... I was... always in a bad shape whenever that happens, wrong timing,” said Tony.

Steve nodded, he couldn't find any words to say, somehow they worked it out— now for ten months, no bickering and misunderstandings... it really went peaceful around the tower, but they rarely speak, and Tony's missing those days, at least they're talking more instead of less, cancelling each other and shutting his mouth while living under the same roof is by far more difficult on his side.

Tony really loved testing people's sanity and patience, poking fun and such. It was bad, it was a mistake, but he's missing playing mind games with Cap, sassing out the old man, his words were insensitive but it doesn't mean a thing... it's just him being a child, being a prick which Steve surprisingly endured; because he's so much younger than him, elderlies needed to understand the younger people he thought.

“No it's alright, I moved on,” said Steve who's just playing around with the cake with the tip of his fork, “glad we made up. I like it this way.”

“Me too... I just had to make a good introduction. Forgive me,” he said, sounding like he's not asking, but demanding.

“Don't worry, I'm not holding any grudges against you, I never will, and I understand why, I can see where you're coming from,” said Steve, trying to catch Tony's eyes.

“No you don't,” said Tony with a sad smile, “stop justifying whatever I did in the past. I hurted you and that's that, I did it without even thinking, without warning, without reasons but to just... hurt you, it's intended that way, Cap. People sometimes do stupid stuff, I hated you that day so I decided to poke fun at you, things like that. They don't mean a thing, it didn't happen because I came from this situation to that, there's no underlying deep rooted reasons... that's why I'm asking for a forgiveness, it's my mistake trying to annoy the hell out of you.”

“I beg to differ,” said Steve, “I hurted you too a lot of times but it 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 mean a thing, it isn't just a sudden burst of emotions. I hated you for quite some time but it doesn't mean that I held a grudge against you. If you're wondering why I halted arguing with you... it's because you don't deserve that treatment— no one deserved that. I was too dumb to understand that it isn't always a game of who's right and who's wrong. It's about trying to understand. Sure thing, those words doesn't mean a thing, but your actions do... you're not good at showing your emotions, Tony.”

“I don't know how you went from hating me to death to the point of recognizing my feelings,” said Tony briefly.

“Because I like you,” said Steve, no hesitations, no second guessing.

Tony literally dropped his fork on the floor, his eyes gazing into Steve's, he felt his heart skipped a beat, his soul just left his body... Steve likes him? what now? did he just annoyed the hell out of one man to make him fall for him?

“I— If, if you're saying that out of pity, Steve I swear, if not the whole United States, maybe seventy percent of the world population likes me, you don't have to like me just because you think I'm sad and lonely,” said Tony out of panic.

Steve smiled softly. “No it's not out of pity— you can have all the love and pleasing you deserve in this world even without me. I don't even know how... but one day I woke up realizing that I actually like you. Realizing that I was arguing with you out of worrying that you might get hurt, that I was saying things I shouldn't have because I don't want to tolerate some of your antics.”

Tony smiled bitterly at the Captain, he took a deep breath before saying a word.

“I like you too Cap, I do, really do. The first two months with you was difficult but then— I don't know it happened, next thing I know was I'm already fond of you. Then I was afraid of telling you, of telling the world I'm attracted to you so I pretended to hate you, and then you managed to get into my nerves and so it's not pretending anymore when we're fighting, weird, right?” said Tony and Steve looked away from him.

“I'm sorry,” Steve said softly and Tony nodded without any expression in his face.

“Steve,”

“Yeah?”

“Don't try and make me hate you ever again,” said Tony, “loving you is hard enough.” 

Tony stood up from his chair, attempting to leave the Captain behind because... what did he just do? he admitted that the feeling is mutual but the place where they came from isn't pretty ideal to start up something else— Tony isn't oblivious, when Steve told him he likes him, it isn't platonic, it isn't out of his obligation as a teammate, he's sure Steve's feeling the same way as he is but he's not going to tolerate that.

He's not going to test the waters, he's not going to risk their friendship, he's not going to level up their relationship because hurting Steve Rogers is the very least thing in his mind right now— Tony can't afford to hurt him even more further, getting hurt because of love is far more worse than getting hurt from a petty insult.

Before Tony could get out of the kitchen, he felt Steve's hand gripping on his wrist.

“Sorry Cap,” he said softly, “we can never be good for each other. I draw the line here.” He could feel his eyes getting watery and his chest clenching.

“I'd cross the line,” said Steve as the stubborn man he is, “you need to understand that what we're feeling isn't a choice, you're not letting this one go.” 

Tony faced Steve, his lip shut tightly, jaws clenched, blinking as fast as he could 'cause he could feel that he's about to cry sooner or later.

“Steve you're making things harder,” he said.

“No, you're making it harder. If... if you'll just listen to me, if you'll agree with me just for once, Tony, you'll know I'm not always wrong.”

Steve's grip went tighter around Tony's wrist.

“Are we really going to argue about this?”

Tony's eyes started to burst into tears and Steve felt a blow in his chest.

“You see, this”—Tony glanced away for a moment—“this is what I'm talking about, I don't want anymore of this. Everything ends in an argument.”

“Tony I didn't mean to—”

“Don't say sorry,” said Tony interrupting Steve, “you gotta accept the truth that we're not made for each other. Believe me I want you for myself, I want you in my bed, I want you forever, I want to share my life with you but I know it's not going to work out.”

Steve's grip went loose, eventually letting go of Tony's hand in the process.

“What are you afraid of?” asked Steve, “that you'll hurt me? Tony that's bullshit, you can never hurt me anymore.”

“Steve if you want sex just say it,” said Tony.

“I don't want sex, is it so hard for you to understand that I really like you? that I'm loving you too?”

“I know but—” Steve pulled Tony into a tight hug.

“Tony I love you and I'm never letting you go. Just for once, shut your mouth, nod and agree with me.”


End file.
